Book of the Protectoret: the Return
by SongBird88
Summary: The protectoret has reformed and have journyed to oblivion, what will happen next?
1. Chapter one: Angel Island

_Chapter one: Angel Island_

Knuckles blinked his eyes slowly, his first thought, _what happened? _His second, _we crashed didn't we?_

He sat up, and then stopped, feeling eyes all around him. He looked up.

Echidnas, thousands of them, wearing tribal makeup and clothing.

He stood up, looking at their astonished faces in astonishment.

The rubble of the plane moved, and Sonic pulled himself out and away from it, "I've been in a lot of crashes, but that was a nice one."

"You okay?" Knuckles helped Sonic to his feet.

"I've been through worse."

**Smack!**

Knuckles was hit in the back of the head with, what felt like, wooden poll, and then someone hugged him. He looked at the person that was hugging him. It was a female echidna; with dark red fur that deepened to black as it went down her dread locked hair.

"Knuckles," Sonic waged his finger in mock accusation, "is there something you need to tell us?"

"She's not mine," Knuckles pried the girl off of him.

She had sparkling emerald green eyes, and a look of anger and yet relief on her face.

"In that case," Sonic smiled slyly, "can I have her?" he walked, smoothly over to her, "hey," he brushed back his spiked hair, "I'm Sonic, the hedgehog, and what might your name be?"

The girl looked at him with disgust, and then hit him over the head with her wooden poll.

"Girls just like to hit you don't they?" Knuckles smiled.

"Shut up," Sonic rubbed his head, "she hit you too."

"And that," the echidna girl finally spoke, in a melodic voice, "I apologize for, my king," She bowed low.

"Don't worry about it," Knuckles went over to the wreckage of Tails' plane and started searching for Rouge and Tails. Sonic ran over to help.

Knuckles found Rouge, who was bruised, but conscious.

"You okay?" Knuckles asked her.

"Perfect, except for my head," she touched it gently.

"Let me see," Knuckles looked at her head, "it isn't bleeding, it might just be a concussion.

"Tails!" Sonic pulled the unconscious fox from the wreckage. Knuckles and Rouge ran over to him.

"Is he breathing?" Rouge asked.

"Yeah," Sonic said anxiously, "can any of those echidnas help him?"

Knuckles turned to the crowed, "please, my friend is injured, can anyone help him?"

A group of female Echidnas ran over and took Tails from Sonic, and took him away.

That's when Jet's blip landed.

"Wait a sec," Rouge said, irritated, "how come the blip's okay?"

"Well, Jet and Julie-Sue were both in there," Knuckles explained, "I think the friend of water and wind would be able to maneuver through a storm."

Rouge gaped, "If I had known that I would have gone in the blimp."

"It's a Zeppelin," Jet said, stepping out of the aircraft.

"Jet?" an echidna girl, with short, pink, dreadlocks, looked at Jet, cautiously.

"Annali!" Jet ran over to the echidna girl, and wrapped his arms around her, and kissed her cheek.

"You have a girlfriend," Sonic said disbelievingly.

"Yes," Jet smiled, "yes I do."

"Knuckles, my king," The echidna girl with the wooden poll addressed Knuckles, "why have you brought lowlanders to our Island?"

"Oh, I guess they should be properly introduced," Knuckles answered.

"Can I introduce my self," Sonic asked, "I've been practicing," he cleared his throat, "I am Sonic, friend of fire, child of the sun," he smiled.

"Blasphemy!" the echidna girl with the wooden poll, started hitting sonic over the head with her poll, "do you have any idea who you a downgrading?"

"Stop!" Knuckles grabbed the girl's poll to stop her, "he's telling the truth."

The girl looked at Sonic as he rubbed his head, "that's impossible; he-he's a lowlander."

"And?" Sonic asked.

The girl said nothing.

"What's your name anyway?"

"My name is Flora, ritual leader, and this is my team,"

Four echidna girls, including Annali, stepped forward, "Annali, Adda, Geminight, and Rea."

The four girls bowed.

"Pleasure to meet you," Sonic said, "Unless you're all going to whack me in the head with your sticks too."

The girls giggled.

"Girls," Flora said sternly, "do not forget your position."

The girls composed themselves quickly.

"Now we must go, my king," She bowed to Knuckles, "because you have returned we must prepare for the festivities." Flora, and her group, left.

"I think I'm in love," Sonic said, sentimentally.

"Get out of my way!" a voice came from the crowed as someone struggled to get to the front of it. A female bird burst out from the crowd.

"Mom!" Jet ran over to the woman, and hugged her.

"Oh, Jet," Jet's mother said, tears in her eyes, "I missed you so much!"

"Julie-Sue!" an echidna woman walked out of the crowd.

"Mi'e!" Julie-Sue ran to her mother, and held her.

"Aw," Sonic cued, "I need to hug someone, hug me Knuckles."

"No, go hug Jet."

"Knuckles?" a weak male voice came from the crowd.

Knuckles looked over at the male echidna that had spoken.

He was old and tired looking, with a walking stick in his hands.

"I-I thought you were dead."

Knuckles recognized the echidna from his family's picture, "father?"

Knuckles father walked towards him, he faltered and fell. Knuckles caught him before he hit the grass covered ground.

Knuckles' father wrapped his arms around his son's neck, "I'm so sorry," his father wept, "I should not have treated you like a sickness, like a germ, I should have treated you like my son. I'm so sorry." Knuckles' father cried.

"Its okay father," Knuckles didn't know what to say; even after being confronted by his father he still couldn't remember him.


	2. Chapter two: the festivities

Chapter two: the festivities

Sonic stood on a small pedestal as two Echidna women measured him for, what he called his party cloths.

"This is so wired," he said to Rouge who was standing on a small pedestal next to him.

"Well at least you don't look like a bell." Rouge was wearing a sleeveless dress that belled out so that it looked like an upside down, blue, tulip.

"Is there another way you wish it to look mistress?" one of the Echidna women, working on her dress, asked.

"Well of course I do," Rouge said. "How would you feel wearing something like this?"

"How do you wish it to look?"

"Wait, you're actually asking, I can change this?"

The Echidna women looked at her in confirmation

Rouge considered this, a sly look on her face, "come on girls, we've got a lot to talk about." She walked into the next room, followed, obediently, by the Echidna that was helping her with her dress.

"This is going to be interesting," Sonic said, knowing how scanky Rouge could be, he had a pretty good idea how the dress was going to turn out.

The festivities began in a large dinning hall with a large feast.

Sonic walked into the dining hall and looked around for Knuckles, Julie-Su, or Jet.

Every Echidna that saw him would bow and curtsy. Sonic would smile politely, hoping that was the right thing to do.

"Friend of fire," a small echidna girl ran up to Sonic.

"Uh, hi," Sonic smiled at her. The girl just stared at him, a curious look on her face. His smile became awkward as he began to feel agitated by the girl's gaze.

"Clemency," An Echidna women, probably the girls mother, ran up and grabbed her child, "I'm sorry for my daughters behavior, sire," the woman addressed Sonic, bowing low.

"Hey, it's okay," Sonic said lightly, "and don't call me sire or anything, it's just Sonic."

"Of course, Sonic," the woman bowed again and left, child in tow.

"You're going to make people uncomfortable by telling them to call you by your name," Sonic turned to Jet, greatfull to find someone who knew what was going on.

"Hey, I don't want to be seen as some sort of God," Sonic said.

"Well you're going to have to get used to it, that's what you are to these people."

"Well- your party cloths make you look like a genie," he thought that was a good retort, then he remembered that Babylonians were descendents of genies.

Jet rolled his eyes, "come on the protectorate sits over here."

Jet led Sonic to a table where the protectorate when there were feasts.

The chairs were colored, orange, white, gold, blue and green, the colors of the powers of chaos.

Julie-Su was sitting in the blue thrown; Flora and her team were around her, goggling at her new robotic arm. The sight of the arm reminded Sonic of Tails.

"Jet," Sonic sat down in the orange chair next to the white one, which was Jet's, "how's Tails?"

"I'm good," Tails was sitting on the chair to the left of Sonic, arm in a sling, "the healers here are good at what they do, though I don't know why they weren't able to instantly fix my arm like they did my leg," Tails stretched out his leg so Sonic could see it, then lowered it and shrugged, "they said my arm had multiple fractures, and that's why they couldn't fix it, but it still confuses me, nice pants," Tails indicated Sonic's pants that were orange embroidered with red flames.

"They itch," Sonic said simply, "do your puffy pants itch you Jet?"

"They do actually," Jet said scratching his leg, "do your pants itch you Knuckles?"

"Hm?" Knuckles was sitting in the golden thrown in the center of the four other throwns. Sonic noticed that he was now wearing a crown, which was decorated with gems the colors of the chaos emeralds, and a red cape, and had a faraway look in his eyes.

"Oh," Knuckles rested his head in his hand, "not really."

"What's with you?" Sonic asked.

"I can't remember anything about my father,"

"What do you mean you can't remember?" Annali had over heard, and looked up at Knuckles with a worried expression.

"When I went away, I lost my memory."

"Do you remember us?" Flora's team looked at Knuckles sadly.

Knuckles closed his eyes and shook his head.

Flora's team looked very hurt.

"But, you will," Geminight said hopefully, "Won't you?"

"Most likely."

Flora's team smiled.

"Flora doesn't seem very concerned about Knuckles' memory loss." Sonic pointed out.

"That's just how she is," Adda explained, "She doesn't like to show how she feels."

"She doesn't think its professional," Rea put in.

"Well that's ridiculous," Sonic said.

Flora shot Sonic an angry glance.

"Yeah she totally digs you," Jet teased. Sonic shoved him.

"Am I late," Rouge leaned against the table next to knuckles' chair.

Her dress still looked like an upside-down flower, but it was shorter and skin tight and colored a dark purple, "how do I look?"

"Amazing," Knuckles kissed her.

The whole room suddenly became silent and tense.

"What just happened?" Sonic said, feeling then tension press against him.

Annali squeaked, and stared at knuckles then Julie-Su.

"Oh," Sonic rolled his eyes, "are we going to have to go through this again?"

"Knuckles and I are not betroth anymore," Julie-Su said, "it turns out he never actually loved me, he loves Rouge, and I have Espio."

"Who?"

"Espio," Espio appeared next to Julie-Su. Flora's team squeaked, and stumbled backward, even Flora jumped slightly. Julie-Su giggled, "Don't do that to people, Spo,"

Espio closed his eyes, annoyed with his nick name.

"He looks like a ninja," Rea commented.

"That's because he is," Julie-Su smiled up at Espio.

"Now that that's all cleared up," Sonic rubbed his hands together, "let's eat."


	3. Chapter three: Flora's Dance

Chapter three: Flora's Dance

After the feast, the large group of Echidnas and the protectorate went out to a large clearing that had a bond fire burning in the center.

"What's going on now?" Sonic whispered his question into Jet's ear.

"Flora and her team are going to dance for us."

"They dance?" Sonic and the protectorate were led to a row of four chairs, not unlike the ones that they had sat in for the feast. Sonic sat down in his orange thrown, wishing he could be sitting on the ground like everyone else.

Flora walked out in front of the fire, she was wearing a black sleeveless dress, a red sash, beads the colors of the seven chaos emeralds in her hair, and golden bracelets. Sonic also noticed she wasn't wearing shoes.

"Tonight is a magnificent night," Flora stated, "For Tonight our King and his protectorate has returned."

"_His_ protectorate?" Sonic glared at Knuckles. Knuckles shrugged uneasily, he didn't really know why she called it that either.

"And now, if you will permit me, my king, I shall dance for you," she bowed to Knuckles.

"Sure, okay," Knuckles said.

Flora raised her head, took a breath. Sonic heard music, it sounded slightly Celtic to him, but he never did like Celtic music. Flora began to dance; Sonic stopped thinking about the music and watched Flora as she moved, with an unimaginable grace.

Jet laughed, "I haven't seen someone look at flora since the first time she danced.

"what?" Sonic didn't look away from Flora, her dancing was intoxicating; he wanted to dance with her, "where did she learn to dance like that?"

"Her mom," Jet explained, "she's one of a long line of Floras, up until the first one, who was the sister of the first friend of water, Jack McGail."

Sonic laughed, "So "Child of the Gail" has a double meaning?"

Jet smiled and nodded.

Flora's dance ended, to her discontent, dancing was the way she could let her troubles go, but she had a lot on her mind this day. She looked up to the new friend of fire, he was smiling at her. A very attractive smile. A smile pulled at the corners of her mouth, but she composed herself and left the firelight, lowlanders were not to be bothered with.

"Uh oh," Jet elbowed Sonic, "Flora smiled at you."

"What? No she didn't, she frowned at me!"

"You have to have an eye for these things," Jet taped the side of his eye.

"What are you two talking about?" Julie-Su asked, as she was passing.

"Flora smiled at Sonic, didn't she?"

"Oh yeah," Julie-Su nodded, "She sure did."

Sonic smiled a bit, Flora had smiled at him.


	4. Chapter four: Angel Island’s Valentines

Chapter four: Angel Island's Valentines Day.

Sonic opened his eyes. At first he didn't know where he was, and then he remembered all of what happened yesterday. He jumped out of bed and ran out of his room, then turned back and grabbed his crystal flower from the bed side table. He was planning to take a run around Angel Island that day, see everything there was to see, but as he ran out of the mystics shrine he was grabbed by his upper arm, "Whoa matchstick," Julie-Su let Sonic go, "We're all going to an old hang out of the protectorate to help Knuckles remember some more things of his past, and you need to come to."

"Why?" Sonic whined, "I was going to go for a run this morning."

"Well today is a special day."

"Is every day a special day?"

"No," Julie-Su blew some of her pink hair out of her face, "we really wish this wasn't a special day either."

"What?" Sonic was utterly disappointed and confused.

"I'll tell you as we walk."

Julie-Su had finished her explanation as she and sonic entered the old Inn like building that was a very popular hangout for young echidnas

"So today is like valentines day?" Sonic asked.

"Evil valentines day."

"Wait, okay, today your hormones are hyperactive?"

"Yep," Julie-Su sat down in Espio's lap.  
"Did she tell you what was going on today?"

Espio nodded.

Sonic sat down and looked around. He felt like he was in France. Everybody was kissing everybody. He saw a small group of girls huddled together giggling and glancing at him. He waved; they giggled excitedly and scurried away. He interlaced his fingers and placed him behind his head, "I think I like this day,"

Julie-Su rolled her eyes.

The door opened, and Flora walked in purposefully. She went up to Sonic, sat on his lap and kissed him.

Sonic's eyes widened as far as they could, then he closed them and pulled flora closer, but as he did, she pulled away. She hopped of his lap wiped her mouth, gave a little nod, and left. Sonic sat back in his chair, trying to piece together what had just happened. He brushed his fingers through his spiked hair, then jumped up and ran after Flora.

A smile danced on Flora's lips, her cheeks burning. What had she just done made her heart flutter, and yet disgusted her.

"Flora!"

_Tray vena, _Flora thought in panic, Sonic had followed her. She started to walk faster. Sonic appeared in front of her. She squeaked and fell over.

"But you- and I- how did you get here so fast?"

Sonic helped Flora to her feet, "I ran," he said simply, I've always been able to run fast."

"How fast?" Flora dug her toe into the ground.

Sonic shrugged, "I never really thought about it."

Flora wanted to run away, she had butterflies in her stomach, and she was starting to flush bright red.

"You okay?"

Flora looked up into Sonic's green eyes; he sincerely wanted to know how Flora was feeling, so she told him the truth.

"I have butterflies in my stomach."

"Well you really shouldn't eat butterflies if you don't want them in your stomach."

Flora giggled.

"You wana hang out?" Sonic smiled.

Flora nodded.

Sonic held out his hand, "run with me,"

Flora took Sonic's hand. Sonic pulled Flora up onto his back, "hold on tight."

Flora wrapped her arms tightly around Sonic's neck, and they took off.

A few moments later, they ended up next to a lake, to take a rest.

"Let's go swimming," Flora pulled her sandals off.

"Uh," Sonic rubbed his neck, "I can't."

Flora laughed, "Then let's wade."

"I don't like water."

"At all? How do you stay hydrated?"

Sonic sighed, "You can't run in water."

"That's what swimming is for, watch," She striped down to her under garments. Sonic averted his eyes.

"What?"

"You- um- you're naked."

Flora laughed and jumped into the water, "there how's this?"

Sonic looked over to her, "I guess that's okay."

"okay, so as I was saying, the way you run in water is you swim, for example," Flora dived under the water, Sonic scanned the water, Flora appeared on the opposite shore, "see," she yelled over to Sonic. She dived again and resurfaced on the same shore that Sonic was on, "now take of your weird shoes and let me teach you swim."

"There called tennis shoes, and no, you can't talk me into coming into the water."

Flora grabbed his face and kissed him, she started backing into the water, Sonic followed, she pulled away from him, and "I don't need to talk you into it."

"Hm?" Sonic looked down to see he was waist deep in water, "Ah!" he tried to run away, but Flora grabbed him by his crystal flower, and he had grown a powerful attachment to it, parting with it was not an option.

Flora pulled him farther into the water, until he was chest deep.

"Please, stop." Sonic pleaded.

"Oh, stop being a baby, and just feel what it's like to be in the water," She disappeared under the water.

Sonic decided to stay in the water for a few more moments, and decided it wasn't too bad, but he refused to go any farther.  
"Sonic," Flora pulled herself onto Sonic's back. She was amazingly light in the water, "so, what do you think?"

"I guess its okay," Sonic said, "though I do feel a little uncomfortable with you hanging on me partly naked."

"Why?"

"Um, it's immodest."

"What else am I going to wear in the water? My cloths?"

"A bathing suit."

"What in highers name is a bathing suit?"

"What's a highers?"

"You don't know of the highers?" Flora sounded completely astonished.

"Uh… no, should I?"

"Well of course, they are the one's that created chaos itself,"

"They must have been very powerful."

"Are," Flora corrected, "they are immortal deities."

"There like Gods?"

They are Gods," Flora corrected again, "you shouldn't be so rude to them, they'll incur their wrath upon you."

Sonic laughed, "Their wrath?"

A large wave washed over Sonic.

Flora laughed uncontrollably.

"Sorry," Sonic said to the sky, "I won't insult you again."

As the sky darkened, Sonic escorted Flora to her home.

"I had a great time," Flora smiled.

"You're going to hate me again tomorrow though, hun?" Sonic asked sadly.

Flora looked at the ground, "I hate this day."

"Well it was fun while it lasted, Good night, Flora."

"Good Night," Flora bowed to Sonic.

"Don't bow to me," Sonic pushed Flora's chin up lightly, and kissed her, and left.


	5. Chapter five: Highers sacrifice

Chapter five: Highers sacrifice

Sonic and Knuckles walked around the part of angel island that Knuckles' clan made their home, trying to help Knuckles remember some more things from his past.

"And that's all I know about the Highers," Sonic concluded his description of the highers that Flora had told him a few days before.

Knuckles laughed, "They incurred their wrath on you?"

"Shh," Sonic hissed at Knuckles, "you don't want to get them angry with you."

Knuckles laughed again.

There was a sudden burst of light, Sonic and Knuckles covered their eyes against the intensity. When they dared to look they saw a bright being in front of them.  
"King of light," The being spoke in multiple voices, "you have returned, now the ritual may go as planed."

"Um," Sonic said, "who exactly are you?"

"We are the Highers," the being said.

"Skitso," Sonic whispered to Knuckles.

A storm cloud appeared over Sonic's head and began to rain on him.

Knuckles laughed.

"Now," The bright being said, "Where is the sacrifice?"

"The what?" Knuckles asked, slightly afraid of what the being meant by sacrifice.

"The young virgin that you give to us so that we can continue to protect your people."

"I am here," A young echidna girl, not a day over eight stepped forward, "I'm ready," She held her hand out to the being.

"No!" Sonic pulled the girl away from the menacing being, and protected her from it.

"Do not interfere, lowlander," the being boomed.

"I'm the Friend of Fire, and I will not let this girl give her life away to an arrogant freak!"

The being shook his head in disbelief, "fine, you have twenty-four hours to change your mind, or we shall take another sacrifice, you have been warned." The being disappeared with another flash of light.

"What have you done lowlander?" one of the echidnas that had been watching cried out.

"I saved someone's life that's what."

And you've doomed us all by doing so!" another echidna cried out.

"They will take anyone of us now!" another said.

"I won't let that happen," Sonic said, confidently, "I'm the friend of fire, remember?"

"The highers gave us the chaos and they can take it away, you are powerless against them!"

"You did not need to save me," the young girl that had been the sacrifice said, "it has always been the deity of my family to give their first born to the Highers."

"There has to be another way," Sonic said thoughtfully.

"There isn't," Knuckles said bluntly.

"What," Sonic looked at Knuckles angrily, "you think this is right?"

"Our ways are different from yours Sonic," Knuckles explained, "here, sacrifice is normal."

Sonic clenched his fists, "I'm not going to let them take someone away."


	6. Chapter six: twentyfour hours

Chapter six: twenty-four hours

Sonic was stubborn, and was not planning on giving up the young girl any time soon. He couldn't use his chaos power against the highers, so he was just going to rely on his natural talents.

Twenty-four hours had past, and the highers had not shown up. Sonic was about to decide that the Highers had chickened out when they appeared with a burst of light, right behind Tails. The shining being grabbed Tails by the fore arms.

"Sonic!" Tails called out desperately for help.

"Tails!" Sonic flew towards his frightened friend, but he was to late. The Highers disappeared with a flash of light, taking the young fox with them.

Sonic screamed in anger, fire building up inside of him.

"Sonic control yourself," Knuckles commanded, but Sonic didn't listen. He was angry, angry at the Highers, angry at how barbaric these people around him, but most of all, he was angry with himself. His anger fuelled the fire that surrounded him. He was drenched with water, that Julie-Su had doused him with.

Anger was replaced with anguish. Sonic fell to his hands and knees and sobbed. His stubbornness had cost him his best friend.

Julie-Su kneeled at Sonic's side, "Sonic, it's okay, we-"

"Okay?" Sonic laughed though his tears, "Okay? I'm such an idiot, is there any way we can get him back?"

"yes," Julie-Su reassured, "that's what I was saying before you cut me off."

"how?"

"We give them the original sacrifice," Knuckles said, he looked like he was on the verge of tears.

Sonic looked at his hands, then nodded, "okay."

"don't worry, friend of fire," the young girl, that was the original sacrifice, said, "it's okay, this is a great honor, I'm keeping my people safe," the girl smiled.

"What's your name?" Sonic asked the young girl.

"Iphigenia," the girl replied.

Sonic stood, "are you scared of doing this?"

Iphigenia shook her head, then thought it over and nodded.

"I'll carry you," Sonic held out his hand.

"The whole way?" Iphigenia looked hopeful.

Sonic nodded.

Iphigenia took Sonic's hand, and he lifted her onto his back, "okay, where are we going?"

Knuckles nodded, "follow me."

* * *

Fun fact: Iphigenia means sacrifice


	7. Chapter seven: release this child

Chapter seven: release this child

Knuckles led Sonic far into the forest, after an hour or to Sonic asked Knuckles if he really knew where he was going.

"Yes," Knuckles answered.  
"How do you know?" Sonic asked again, shifting Iphigenia to a more comfortable position.

"Because, we're here," Knuckles moved some foliage aside, reviling a large Castile like building.

"Oh," Sonic shifted Iphigenia again and walked towards the building, followed closely by Knuckles.

Sonic placed his hand on the large door. It opened on its own accord.

"Usually, when a door does that, the house is haunted," Sonic said, lightheartedly.

Iphigenia hugged Sonic tighter.

"Don't worry," Sonic reassured, "I won't let any ghosts hurt you."

They entered another room. Tails stood on a pedestal in the center of the white colored room, wearing a toga like garment.

"Tails!" Sonic put Iphigenia down and ran over to Tails and embraced him. Tails didn't return the gesture, "Tails?" Tails stood stiff, staring forward, like he was in a trance, "Tails," Sonic shook the fox lightly, "wake up, it's me, Sonic," Tails didn't react, "Tails!" Sonic shook him a little harder.

"Sonic stop," Knuckles placed a hand on Sonic's shoulder, "only the Highers can wake him up."

"Where are they?"

There was a bright flash of light, "we are here friend of fire."

"We brought you Iphigenia, now give Tails back," Sonic said commandingly.

"Why should we give you what you wish," the Highers said, "You do not respect us."

"Why should I respect you vicious, arrogant, false Gods?"

The Highers looked at Sonic with rage, "how dare you insult us? Feel our wrath!"

Knuckles got in between Sonic and the Highers, crossed his arms over his chest and bowed low, "please have mercy on him; he does not fully understand our customs."

The Highers calmed their fury, "you shall be spared child of the sun, but next time we shall not hold back," the Highers turned to Iphigenia, "you are ready?"

"My I say goodbye?" Iphigenia turned to Sonic.

"You may."

Iphigenia turned to Sonic. Sonic got down on his knees and embraced the young echidna, "you be brave okay?" his voice broke.

"Okay," Iphigenia whispered back, she turned back to the Highers, "I'm ready."

The Highers placed their hand on Iphigenia's head. Light engulfed her. When the light subsided, she was wearing a toga. She walked stiffly to the pedestal in the center of the room. Tails stepped down and Iphigenia replaced him. She stood as still as a statue, and Sonic knew, she was gone. He pressed his lips together, holding in his tears.

"Why do you care for this girl?" the Highers asked, "you barley know her."

"I care because she had her whole life ahead of her, and you took it all away, for your own selfish reasons, what is she to _you?_ A trophy? A nick knack? A reminder of the control you have over these people?"

The Highers looked puzzled, like they had never thought about it that way. They looked at the motionless girl, "your wisdom astounds us, Child of the Sun," they went over to Iphigenia, "this child is not vital to our survival," they passed their hand over Iphigenia's head, she left the pedestal, and walked over to Sonic, she stood in front of him next to Tails.

"We release this child and her descendents from our power; they no longer need to give up their children."

"That's it?" Knuckles asked, "No more sacrifice?"

"No, we still will call for a sacrifice," the Highers said, "but they shall never be a living being," the turned to Sonic, "thank you for opening our eyes, you truly worthy of your title." The Highers disappeared in a flash of light, and Tails and Iphigenia snapped out of their trance.

"Hun?" Tails shook his head.

"What happened?" Iphigenia asked Sonic.

"The Highers set you and your family free," Sonic smiled, "you never have to give up a child again."

Iphigenia


	8. Chapter eight: Flora and Fire

Chapter eight:

Sonic and Knuckles returned to Knuckles' clan. They presented Iphigenia to her family, and explained what had happened, jubilee flew though the clan, and soon a celebration was called, in honor of the friend of fire.

Sonic was used to the gratitude, but the pampering was new, not that he didn't like it. It only got better for him when he heard that Flora was going to dance for him, but then it went down hill when he heard that she was actually going to be dancing _with _him, instead of for him.

Sonic paced in the main room of the mystics shrine, the rest of the protectorate watching.

"I can't dance," he was saying, "not like you guys do anyway."

"You don't have to," Julie-Su stood.

"What? Yeah I do!"

Julie-Su stood in front of Sonic, "Flora is going to be leading, all you have to do is follow, let me show you," she held out her hand. Sonic took it.

"Close your eyes," Julie-Su instructed.

"What, no."

"It's either that, or looking like a fool in front of Flora,"

Sonic closed his eyes.

They swayed for a moment, then they danced. Sonic picked it up instantly. He swayed, he glided, he flew, it was the strangest feeling he had ever felt, but he didn't want it to go away, but it did, he was pushed over onto the couch. He rubbed his head.

"And that is how you dance, "E Radicl Getana," Julie-Su announced.

"Rada-what?"

"Radicl Getana," Julie-Su explained, "simply translated, it means letting go."

Jet laughed, "You should see your face."

Sonic shoved him, "patriot,"

"Sparky," Jet shot back.

"Down draft,"

Jet opened his mouth to retaliate, but couldn't think of anything, "You win this round."

Sonic sat on his thrown, wringing his hands, he couldn't remember a time when he was this nervous.

Flora came out into the fire light, staff in hand. She did a quick dance with the staff; ending in front of Sonic's thrown, hand out stretched.

Sonic looked to the rest of the protectorate.

Jet ushered him forward.

Sonic took Flora's hand. She led him out onto the grass. She tossed her staff away. The staff was caught by Adda, who seemed to do it automatically.

Sonic took a breath, telling himself to keep his eyes open. Flora started. It was slow at first, but the pace quickened, as Flora and Sonic seemed to know what the other was about to do and moved accordingly.

The music stopped abruptly. Sonic and Flora were chest to chest, breathing heavily, looking into each others green eyes. That was it Flora was hooked, not only was he cute, and witty, but he was compassionate and brave, and determined, and…

They kissed, right then and there in front of everyone, but at the moment they didn't care.

* * *

Fun Fact: this story was originally played out as a musical.


	9. Chapter nine: just call me Sonic

Chapter nine: just call me Sonic

Sonic knock on Flora's front door, well it wasn't really a door, it was a door shaped hole with a thick cloth in front of it. the whole place made Sonic feel like he was in the dark ages.

When there was no answer from Flora, after Sonic's third knock, he decided to peek in.

Flora was kneeling in front of a small shrine, arms across her chest; forehead touching the floor, mumbling in, what Sonic guessed was Angel.

He walked in and stood silently by the door.

Flora finished her prayer (at least, that's what Sonic guessed it was) she stood, striated her dress, and turned. She squeaked and almost fell over when she saw Sonic. She put her hands on her hips, "haven't you ever heard of knocking?"

"I did," Sonic answered defensively, "three times, you were to wrap up in your prayer…thing," he waved towards the shrine.

"Right, I'm sorry," Flora rubbed the back of her neck, and dug her toe into the ground, "do you need something?"

"Do I need a reason to visit my girlfriend?" Sonic smiled.

"Is that what you call it on the low lands?" Flora asked as she made her bed.

"What? Visiting?"

"No," Flora laughed, "girlfriend."

"Oh," Sonic nodded, "What do you call it?"

"Lover," Flora answered.

"Hm," Sonic said thoughtfully, "where are your parents?"

"At their home," Flora put some wood in her fireplace.

"You don't live with your parents?"

"Do you live with yours?"

"To shay,"

"You think you could light this for me?"

"Uh," Sonic looked at the fireplace, "I'll try," he kneeled down net to the hearth, "I still haven't gotten the hang of this." He touched the wood and concentrated, I fire flared up in the hearth, "I did it!" Sonic said, very proud of himself.

"Just don't burn my house down," Flora laughed.

"So, why are we making a fire?"

"I need to cook some how," she put a pot of water over the fire,

"Can you chop vegetables?"

"No prob," Sonic said casually.

"Your dialect is quite strange," Flora commented, placing a cutting board knife, and a few vegetables.

"Here, how about this?" Sonic puffed out his chest and spoke firmly, "where for art thou Flora?"

Flora laughed, "You do realize, you just asked me why my name was Flora."

"Really?" Sonic said skeptically, "I thought it was me asking you where you are."

"It does seem like it, doesn't it, oh wait," Flora went rummaging through her cupboards, "tray vena!"

"Language, language," Sonic waged his finger disapprovingly.

"I don't have any meat."

"Did you check your fridge?"

"My what?"

"Ice box? Cooler? The place where you keep the cold things cold?"

Flora looked very confused.

"How do you keep things preserved?"

"Why would we need to?"

"Do you just by food that you'll eat in the same day?"

"Mostly, you don't?"  
Sonic shook his head, "we have refrigerators, which are large boxes that are cold inside, we put food in them so they won't spoil."

Flora shook her head, "whatever makes you lowlanders happy."

"You want me to go get you some meat?" Sonic asked, "I can be their and back before you know it," he smiled.

"That would be very kind of you, here," Flora pulled some copper coins from her pocket and gave them to Sonic, though you might not need them."

"Why?" Sonic inspected the coins.  
"Well," Flora explained, "you are the Friend of Fire."

"Why does that make me any different then you?"

"You're a higher power, a deity, a God like figure to our people."

"That's one of the things that annoy me about this whole, 'Friend of Fire,' thing."

"Why?"

"I don't like to be seen as something better then everyone else."

"Why not?"

"It's a long story," Sonic went back to inspecting the coins.

"Will you tell me one day?"

Sonic said nothing.

Flora shuffled in place, she had angered Sonic, that was usually a bad thing, a punishable thing, but sonic did nothing, "um are you going to go to the market now?"

"Yeah okay," Sonic got up and sped out the door, a good run would clear his head.

When Sonic reached the market place he realized he hadn't asked Flora what kind of meat she had wanted, so he just went in the first butcher shop he saw.

There were a few other customers in the shop, waiting for their turn to order.

When the shopkeeper saw Sonic he stopped taking care of his original customer, "Friend of Fire," he inclined his head, "what do you desire?"

"No, no," Sonic said casually, "take care of them first."

"Of course," the shopkeeper went back to his original customer.

Sonic waited for his turn, just like everyone else. When he got up to the counter, the shopkeeper bowed again.

"Please don't do that," Sonic said.

"Yes, as you wish Friend of Fire, what do you desire?"

Sonic thought for a moment, "What would you recommend?"

"The lamb, my lord."

"Please, just call me Sonic," Sonic smiled, "the lamb, hun?"

"Yes, I breed the best in town," the shopkeeper said proudly.

"I'll take it, how much will it cost?"

"For you m- Sonic, nothing."

"Please, let me pay you."

"One gold piece."

"How much would that be in copper," Sonic held out the copper coins.

"Five."

Sonic counted out five copper coins, and one extra.

"Sonic, you gave one to many."

"Keep it," Sonic said kindly.

The shopkeeper smiled, got a leg of lamb, wrapped it in paper, and gave it to Sonic.

"Thanks a bunch uh… what's your name?"

"Alastair," The shopkeeper responded.

"Thanks a bunch Alastair."

Sonic reentered Flora's home triumphantly, "Ta da!" he presented the wrapped lamb to Flora.

"Thank you Sonic," Flora took the package from Sonic.

"I didn't ask you what meat you needed, so I just got the one the shopkeeper recommended.

"Who was the shop keeper?"

"I think his name was Alastair."

"Ah," Flora said knowingly, "he breeds the best lamb in town; I'm not surprised he recommended it."

"It is okay right?"

"It's perfect," Flora kissed Sonic's cheek, "will you stay and eat with me?"

"Of course," Sonic said with a smile.


	10. Chapter ten: out of Oblivion

Chapter Ten: out of Oblivion

Sonic stood in front of the Highers Castile like fortress. He breathed deeply. When he had concocted this plan it seemed so simple. Easier said then done, he guessed. He swung the door open and walked into the entrance hall.

"Hello?" Sonic called slightly apprehensive, "great higher peoples?"

The highers appeared in front of Sonic. Sonic bowed like he had seen Knuckles and Flora do, thinking it might help him get on the highers good side.

"Greetings Friend of Fire, what is it you wish?"

"Well," Sonic said, feeling a little more confident, "I was thinking, since you're the ones that created the chaos, and have been protecting this island from the storms of oblivion, wouldn't you be powerful enough to get us out of oblivion?"

The highers thought about this for a moment, "Yes," they finally said, "we suppose we would."

"Then will you?" Sonic asked hopefully.

"Yes."

"Great I'll go-"

"On one condition."

"What?" Sonic said, impatient now.

"A sacrifice."

"You and your sacrifices," Sonic groaned, "Okay, what do you want?"  
"A lamb," the Highers answered, "the purest of your clan."

"I thought you said no more living sacrifices," Sonic accused.

"We said no more child sacrifices," the Highers replied.

"No," Sonic argued, "I distinctly remember you saying that you still wanted a sacrifice but 'it shall never be a living being' ever again."

"Do not test us Child of the Sun," the Highers boomed angrily.

"Okay, okay," Sonic said defensively, "I'm sorry, I'll get you a nice clean lamb."

"You puzzle us, Child of the Sun," the Highers commented, "never has a low Lander, much less an angel islander, spoken to us as if we were equal."

"Does it bother you?" Sonic asked.

The Highers shook their head, "just confuses us."

They sat in silence for a moment.

"I'm guna go get you your lamb now," Sonic smiled, uncomfortable with the silence.

"Yes, of course," the Highers seemed equally uncomfortable.

Sonic waved goodbye and left.

"Flora!" Sonic ran up and kissed Flora.

"You seem quite joyful today," Flora commented.

"The highers are going to help us get out of Oblivion!" Sonic said excitedly.

"What?" Flora said in astonishment, "really?"

Sonic nodded, "except they want a sacrifice."  
"Not surprising," Flora said, "did you talk to Knuckles about this?"

"That's where I'm going right now," Sonic ran towards the mystic shrine then ran back to Flora, "they want a lamb, a really good one, I'm sure Alastair would be happy to oblige."

"I'll go inform him right away."

They went their separate ways.

Sonic inspected Alastair's lamb.

"Yeah… I have no idea how to tell if it's a good lamb or not," he shrugged sheepishly.

"Oh, it is," Alastair assured, "she's my prize lamb," he gave Sonic the lambs lead.

"You sure you don't want to come?" Sonic asked.

"What," Alastair looked fearful, "oh no, defiantly not."

Sonic smiled, "hey, I understand, thanks for your help Alastair."

Sonic, and the rest of the protectorate, took the lamb to the Highers Castile.

Excitement ran through Knuckles' clan. The Friend of Fire had done it again; he was truly worthy of his title.

The protectorate sat at the top of the mystics shrine, waiting for the highers to appear.

"They like to be fashionably late, don't they?" Sonic asked no one in particular.

The protectorate shrugged.

The Highers appeared in a flash of light.

"You sure do like your entrances," Sonic commented, "not that I don't like them, their actually quite impressive."

A smile played on the Highers lips, "let us begin."

The protectorate stood where they had been told to, and raised their arms up to the clouded sky.

The highers lifted their arms and they glowed brightly.

Sonic felt chaos fire building up inside of him. It took all his strength to keep it under control.

The Island began to move.

Joyful cheers erupted from the large crowd that wasn't just Knuckles' clan anymore.

The edge of Oblivion was getting closer. Sonic could feel it, but he was loosening energy, fast.

"Come on," he said to him self, "you've used the chaos emeralds a thousand times, this should be nothing."

The clouds broke. The sun shown. The crowd erupted with jubilant cheers.

The fire inside of Sonic subsided. He lowered his hands, "we did it," he breathed, "we did it."


	11. Chapter eleven: the Low Lands

Chapter eleven: the Low Lands

Flora, with Sonic at her side, set foot on the Low Lands for the very first time.

"Welcome to the Low Lands," Sonic announced. They were in a forest.

"Doesn't look much different from Angel Island," Flora said.

"Wait till you see the cities," Sonic smiled.

Flora smiled back, "we made it." the kissed.

There was a scream. Sonic and Flora looked up. Amy was rushing strait at Flora hammer in hand. She swung. Flora dogged at the last minuet.

"Amy stops!" Sonic begged.

"Why?" Amy was crying, "Why did you kiss her? You're my boy friend!"

Flora looked at Sonic questioningly.

"She has a crush on me," Sonic explained.

"And you've been leading her on?" Flora asked with sounding disappointed.

"No," Sonic aid defensively, "she's in denial or something."

Amy swung her hammer at Flora again. It was stopped suddenly.

"What the?" Amy looked around.

Adda had stopped Amy's hammer with a wooden pole.

"thank you Adda," Flora took the pole from Adda, and hit Amy upside the head, "pull your self together, young lady," she instructed, "Sonic loves me. You are just his friend," she turned to Sonic, "she is your friend right?"

"Yeah," Sonic answered, "of course."

"See," Flora said to Amy, "just friends."

Amy got up and ran away, crying.

"You think I was too hard on her?" Flora asked sonic.

"Well hitting her over the head was kind of harsh," Sonic answered.

"Didn't seem too harsh when she was trying to hit me," Flora pointed out.

"True," they both thought about this for a moment, "come on let's go to the city," Sonic held out his hand. Flora took it, and they sped towards Westopolis.

Flora looked around in awe, "it's all so big… what's that?" she pointed at a traffic light.

"That's a traffic light," Sonic explained, "they tell the cars when to stop and when to go."

"And cars are the metal objects on the black rode?"

Sonic laughed, "Yeah."

"What are they for?"

"They take people from one place to another," Sonic explained.

"Why don't they walk?"

"Where their going might be to far away to walk."

Flora thought silently.

There was a loud crash and a scream. Sonic tensed, and guarded Flora.

"What?" Flora said fearfully, "what is it?"

"Eggman,"

A huge robotic spider came into view. Flora shrank back.

"Stay here," Sonic ran over to the robotic spider.

"Well, well, well," Eggman said arrogantly, "look whose back."

"And better then ever, Eggplant."

Flora laughed. Eggman heard and looked over at her. He steered his spider over to her and grabbed her up with its pincers, "what do we have here?"

Flora remained calm, "my name's is Flora, and I have a special talent."

"And what is that?"

"I'm very good at diverting people from what they were doing in the first place," she smiled innocently.

Sonic spun into the center of the mechanical spider, taking out its core.

"Blast you… you…"

"Horribly handsome hero?" Flora suggested.

"Astonishingly amazing avenger?" Sonic put in.

"I'll get you next time Hedgehog," Eggman threatened, "and your little girlfriend too!"

"Of coarse he will," Flora rolled her eyes.

"You okay?" Sonic asked slightly anxious.

"Perfect," Flora winked, "you don't need to worry about me sparky. I can handle anything."

Sonic smiled, "I know, just, don't go running into danger, that's my job."

They laughed and continued touring the city.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter twelve

Flora moaned and opened her eyes slowly. She sat up and held her head. Where was she? She knew it wasn't home.

"So you finally decided to wake up," Eggman peered into Flora's transparent, air tight, prison.

"Oh," Flora said dully, "it's you, why have you imprisoned me?"

"I thought you would know," Eggman answered, "it's an age old story. The hero's lover is captured, and he gives up his power to save her, which, of course, always goes down hill from there."

"You're plan is to use me as bait?"

"Yes, my dear," Eggman turned to a robot behind him, "let's send a message to our friend Sonic. What should it say…?"

"That you're a pig," Flora suggested.

"I really didn't want to do this, but I can't think while you're insulting me," Eggman pressed a button. Gas entered Flora's chamber.

"Sonic's not going to let you get away with this, he'll…" she fell into darkness.

Sonic looked around at the clearing that Eggman had told him to meet him.

He was kind of apprehensive about the cliff he was next to, he had read enough comics to know that the damsel in distress could be thrown off a cliff or a building by the villain; he needed to chose his words carefully.

He heard crashing trough the trees, and Eggman, inside one of his big robots. (Like always) in the robots hand, an unconscious Flora.

"Is it just me or have you used that robot before?"

"Don't be so smug hedgehog," Eggman sneered, "remember your girlfriend's life is on the line."

"What do you want?" Sonic asked.

"Your speed," Eggman said.

"And if I give up my speed, you'll free her?"

"That's the deal."

Sonic looked at Flora, she was more important then any power he had, "okay," he nodded.

Eggman produced something that resembled a vacuum. He turned it on, and sucked the speed out of Sonic, then trapped him in a cage.

"Hey," Sonic gripped the bars of the cage angrily, "what's the big idea?"

"Did you really think I was going to play fair?" Eggman laughed, and tossed Flora off the cliff.

"No!" Sonic's anger flared. Fire grew in his chest. The bars of the cage turned to ash in his hands. Sonic let the chaos fire take over. He screamed ferociously. The cage burst into flames, and was reduced to ash. He ran and jumped off the cliff. He caught Flora and held her securely in his arms. Wings flared from his back and he glided back up to the clearing.

He placed Flora on the grassy floor. He walked towards Eggman glaring at him with flaming eyes.

"You're a callous old pig," Sonic said ominously, his voice echoing, "I should have killed you the first time we fought."  
"wha-wha- S-Sonic, you wouldn't kill me," Eggman said fearfully.

Sonic jumped up onto the robot and Grabbed Eggman by the scruff of his neck, "and why wouldn't I?"

"y-you're the hero, heroes don't kill people."

Sonic's fury died. He let Eggman go.

"h-here," Eggman said franticly, "take your speed back," he gave Sonic his speed back, "I'll never ever try to take over the world ever again, just, stay away from me!" he escaped in his small pod.

Sonic jumped off the abandoned machine onto his knees. He had almost killed someone! Maybe he wasn't cut out to be the Friend of Fire after all. He started to cry. He pulled the fire flower off his neck and threw it over the cliff.

"Sonic?" Sonic looked up. Flora was awake, her eyes sad, "what's wrong?"

Sonic broke down. It had been such a long time since he had been so afraid.

Flora kneeled and held Sonic comfortingly in her arms, "everything's going to be okay, I promise."


End file.
